With the utilization and production of a large number of different types of cards for many uses, such as credit cards, debit cards, identification cards, and the like, different manners of effectively, securely, and aesthetically delivering the cards to ultimate consumers need to be utilized. In copending application Ser. No. 08/155,759, filed Nov. 23, 1993, a method of making a card carrier, and a card carrier package, are provided that allow the efficient transport of a card while protecting confidential information thereon, but allowing a viewer to determine from the exterior of the card what is contained in the package. While the package provided in said copending application is very effective, there are some times when different criteria apply which require different types of secure features, or require tracking of the packages. For example, in the production and delivery of telephone debit cards (which allow a user to purchase a card for a certain number of units (e.g. long distance minutes) and call an 800 number which allows connection to any other desired telephone until those minutes have been used up) it is necessary to be able to effectively track the cards, and to completely and securely package the cards so that no confidential information on the cards is visible from the exterior of the package, yet during manufacture the correctness of the card in a particular package has been verified. Also, in those circumstances it is often desirable that the purchaser be able to see what the card that is being purchased looks like without opening the package.
According to the present invention a card package assembly (and a method of production thereof) are provided which allow all of the above desired objectives to be achieved, yet the card package is extremely simple and versatile. A card package according to the invention while providing effective tracking does not necessitate that the user open the package in order to facilitate tracking; rather a tracking strip may be removed (and adhesively affixed to another surface, such as a log book or sheet) without the necessity of opening up the package, yet opening of the package is simple, easy, and almost fail safe. The package allows verification after the card has been connected to components of the package during manufacturing, yet completely encloses the card so that no confidential aspect thereof is at all visible from the exterior. The packages according to the present invention may be sold in retail establishments, sent in the mail, or otherwise readily delivered to ultimate consumer.
According to one aspect of the present invention a card package assembly is provided comprising the following components: A sheet of material having first and second side edges, first, second and third panels, the second panel immediately adjacent the first panel and the second panel at least as large as the first panel, and having first and second faces. The first panel having a cutout therein. Card-holding adhesive on the first panel second face adjacent the cutout. A card of material stiffer than the sheet of material, and having first and second faces, with identifying indicia on the second face. The card overlying the cutout and connected to the card-holding adhesive so that the identifying indicia is visible through the cutout. And adhesive patterns disposed adjacent the first and second side edges for holding the first second and third panels together with the second panel covering the card first face, and the third panel covering the cutout.
The sheet (typically paper, such as that used for the production of colored magazines) typically has third and fourth edges perpendicular to the first and second edges, the third edge defining part of the third panel. The third panel includes a line of weakness parallel to and spaced from the third edge to define a tracking flap in the third panel. Tracking indicia is imaged on the tracking flap first face, and transfer tape is disposed on a second face of the tracking flap so that when the release portion of the transfer tape is removed adhesive is exposed which allows attachment of the tracking flap to another object, such as a logbook page. Typically a transverse adhesive pattern is provided adjacent the first line of weakness on the third panel second face, connecting the third panel second face to the second panel first face removed from the cutout. A second line of weakness is provided in the third panel parallel to the first line of weakness and on the opposite side of the transverse adhesive pattern from the first line of weakness, and a third line of weakness is also provided in the third panel parallel to the second line of weakness and on the opposite side thereof from the transverse adhesive pattern. The second and third lines of weakness form an opening-facilitating (tear) strip between them, and a piece of reinforcing material is provided on the second face of the third panel at the opening-facilitating strip to reinforce it. Preferably the reinforcing material is a second piece of transfer tape; although typically the adhesive on the second piece of transfer tape is not used to connect the opening-facilitating strip to any other object, of course it can be utilized to so connect the opening-facilitating strip, especially if bar coding or other machine readable indicia is imaged on the first face thereof.
It is particularly desirable to provide a card package assembly according to the invention in which the card is a telephone debit card. In this circumstance the debit card will have a predetermined value, such as a 50 units (minutes) of long distance time anywhere in the continental U.S. In this situation the indicia on the second panel first face preferably comprises a simulation of the first face of the card, including the value (e.g. 50 units) of the card within the package.
According to another aspect of the present invention a card package assembly is provided comprising the following elements: A sheet of material having first and second side edges, third and fourth transverse edges perpendicular to the side edges, first, second and third panels, the second panel immediately adjacent the first panel and the second panel at least as large as the first panel, the third edge defining part of the third panel; and the sheet having first and second faces. A card of material stiffer than the sheet of material, and having first and second faces, with identifying indicia on at least the second face. The card operatively connected to one of the panels. Longitudinal adhesive patterns disposed adjacent the first and second side edges for holding the first second and third panels together with the panels covering the card first and second faces wherein the third panel includes a first line of weakness parallel to and spaced from the third edge to define a tracking flap in the third panel. And tracking indicia imaged on the tracking flap first face. The details of the card package are preferably as described above.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention a method of producing a card package, utilizing a web of sheet material (e.g. paper) and cards of stiffer material (e.g. plastic or increased thickness paper) than the web, each of the web and card having first and second faces and the web detachable to form individual sheets. The method comprises the following steps: (a) Imaging identifying indicia on at least the second face of the card and the first face of the web. (b) Forming cutouts in the web, at least a first cutout in each sheet to be formed from the web. (c) Applying glue to the second face of the web adjacent each first cutout. (d) Merging the cards with the web so that a card covers each first cutout and is connected to the web second face by the glue adjacent each first cutout, and so that identifying indicia on the card second face is visible through the first cutout. (e) Verifying the appropriateness of each card covering a first cutout by machine-reading the identifying indicia on the card second face through each first cutout. (f) Applying adhesive to the web that will hold each sheet in a package configuration when folded. (g) Severing each sheet, with at least one card thereon, from the web. And (h) folding each sheet into a package configuration having at least three panels, the card first and second faces being covered by panels of the sheet and held together in that configuration by the adhesive applied in step (f).
Each sheet has a transverse free edge, and step (a) is typically practiced to image tracking image indicia on the web which will be on the first face of each sheet adjacent the transverse free edge. There then typically the further steps of forming a first line of weakness in the web which will be adjacent the tracking indicia, on the opposite side thereof from the transverse free edge, to define a tracking flap containing the tracking indicia; and applying a piece of transfer tape to the web second face which will become the second face of the tracking flap.
Step (f) is typically practiced, at least in part, to provide a transverse pattern of adhesive on the web second face on what will be adjacent the tracking flap on the opposite side thereof from the transverse free edge. There are also preferably the further steps of forming second and third lines of weakness in the web for what will become each sheet, the second and third lines of weakness parallel to the first line of weakness and on the opposite side thereof from the transverse pattern of adhesive, and defining a package opening-facilitating strip. The method also typically comprises the still further step of applying a second piece of transfer tape to the second face of the web on what will become a package opening-facilitating strip, the second piece of transfer tape acting as a reinforcing strip.
Accordingly it is the primary object of the present invention to provide an efficient, simple, versatile, and effective package assembly (and method of production thereof) for cards which provide confidentiality, ease of handling and transport, the ability to track and/or the like. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of a detailed description of the invention, and from the appended claims.